New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells will sit out for a second consecutive game due to a circulatory problem with his left hand.
Wells sat out for the Yankees’ third game in a series against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, but no medical issues had been announced. The front office is hopeful that the issue is a minor one, but is benching him out of an abundance of caution.
The catcher is not expected to be back in the lineup until at least Wednesday as he undergoes testing for the issue. Blood clots have been ruled out.
Wells has had a great start to the season, hitting a leadoff homer in his first at-bat of the season, and is among the best-hitting catchers in the league. He holds a .214 batting average with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs. His production has ebbed lately, and in his last 13 games he has slashed .159/.191/.205. Two weeks ago, Wells shared that he was finding it difficult to serve both as an effective catcher and produce on offense.
Ben Rice is in the lineup at catcher as the Yankees begin their series with the Blue Jays.
Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more!